New Beginnings
by Athena Blackquill
Summary: Written as the result of the following prompt on the Dreamwidth community "Are You Game?": Ace Attorney 5, Clay/Apollo: first kisses. Also written for TheWritersHaven's monthly contest on deviantART, themed "Back to School." Clay decides that with the new school year, comes other new beginnings. (Image Credit: Tumblr user hoursago)


Apollo paced back and forth, nervously adjusting his hair as he waited for Clay. _Late, as usual_, he thought to himself, trying to smile. Really, he should be used to Clay's laidback attitude by now; after all, they'd been friends for years. Clay was just that kind of guy, always making punny jokes or telling Apollo to relax. Of course, Clay also teased Apollo in this way, being late, because he knew it flustered him. The last thing Apollo wanted was to be late (and yelled at) on the first day of his last year of school.

Finally, Clay came outside, throwing his backpack onto one shoulder. "Sorry," he yawned. "Dad forgot to wake me up."

Apollo sighed. "You can set alarms, you know. They even have them on phones now."

Clay clapped Apollo on the back. "I see you put some extra sarcasm in your coffee this morning, Pollo." Clay laughed. He was always so serious. It made teasing him so easy.

The two made their way to the schoolground, Apollo going through their schedules one last time. "We have homeroom together, that's cool at least," he said, fumbling through their registration papers. Apollo wanted his last year in high school to be fun, and for him, that meant as much time spent with Clay as possible. With Apollo wanting to be a lawyer, and Clay wanting to be an astronaut, there were bound to be differences in their schedules, but they could at least take core classes together. The more classes they took together, the more homework they did together, and Apollo would have more time with his best friend while they figured out where to go from there.

"I think we have a couple other classes together too," Clay responded, leaning over. "Public Speaking, see?" Clay pointed to the class, and Apollo groaned. "It won't be that bad, I promise. You're Apollo Justice and you are F-I-N-E!"

"That sounded more like you were saying I was attractive rather than I am going to do okay." Apollo rolled his eyes.

"Maybe I was," Clay flirted, but Apollo mistook it for sarcasm and playfully punched him in the arm. He _always _mistook it for sarcasm since that was the only language he spoke other than English. Clay had never known Apollo to flirt with anyone, nor was he ever able to pick up when people were flirting with him. It was a painful lesson he had learned over the past half year, as he realized his true feelings for his spiky-haired friend in red. _Maybe things will need to change around here._

They reached the school gates and made their way inside the building, waving at some friends in a different homeroom as they walked past. Clay was immensely popular, especially among the girls, Apollo noticed. Some of that popularity passed along to him through association, but Clay definitely had more charisma. Even the teachers noticed it. Still, no matter how much anyone else tried to get close to Clay, the starry-eyed kid stuck with Apollo, to the point where people whispered that it might be something more. Apollo had heard those rumors, and they'd made him blush. Surely Clay had heard them too. _I wonder what he thinks of them?_ he asked himself, as he glanced over at Clay, who was waving at last year's homeroom teacher.

The hallway was emptying quickly, the bell's ringing a good motivation to get inside their classrooms. "Wait," Clay said, grabbing Apollo's shoulder and turning him around. "I want to talk to you real quick."

Apollo groaned, leaning his back against the lockers, quickly turning to look inside the classroom. "Can't we talk later, at lunch or something? Or pass notes?"

Clay shook his head. "It's really important." Apollo sighed, but nodded, giving his permission for Clay to make him late. "We've been friends for a really long time, ever since you helped me with my mom." Clay fought the urge to get choked up, remembering the death of his mother, and the painful days that followed. "I... appreciate your friendship."

Apollo laughed quietly. "I know that, stupid."

"Wait," Clay interrupted. "I appreciate your friendship," he repeated, leaning in closer. "But if you ever want something more..."

Apollo's eyes widened as Clay's lips touched his own, his face reddening. His breath hitched as Clay leaned into the kiss, and his eyes closed, savoring the taste. Instinctively, Apollo grabbed Clay's hands, pulling him closer. Though this had probably only taken a few seconds to do, it felt as if time were stretching out, yet speeding up at the same time. The moments felt infinite, but both boys yearned for more. Clay removed one of his hands from Apollo's and reached up to hold the back of his neck. Every molecule within him was energized, every part of him desiring more of Apollo.

The kiss, unfortunately, could not last forever. Clay pulled away, his body fighting every inch of distance. "If you ever want something more," Clay repeated. "I'm right here." He smiled as he walked inside the classroom, apologizing to the professor.

Apollo moved his fingers to his lips, retracing where Clay's had been. "Something more..." he whispered. Yes, he realized. He'd like that very much.


End file.
